Automatic timekeeping regulators



Dec. 11, 1963- R. E. LE BLANC 3,114,238

AUTOMATIC TIMEKEEPING REGULATORS Filed Sept. 24, 1959 R4 TE REGULATORINVENTOR Robert E. LeBJazzc,

ATTORNEYS compensate for United States Patent O 3 114,238 AUTOMATICTIMEKEEPIN G REGULATORS Robert E. Le Blane, Silver Spring, Md., assignorto The Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,119 12 Claims. (Cl.5885.5)

This invention relates to automatic regulators for timepieces and moreparticularly to timepieces which are automatically regulated by means ofa delayed action mechanism and which are provided with a lock-outmechanism for limiting the frequency of regulation.

There has been a growing trend in the timepiece industry to producetimepieces equipped for automatic regulation to correct inaccuracies intimekeeping. In conventional timepieces, it has been the ordinarypractice to provide a regulating mechanism which is'accessible fromeither inside the case or from the back of the timepiece. In certaintypes of timepieces, such as automobile clocks,

. however, the mounting of the clock makes it difficult to provide areadily accessible regulating mechanism which is not also subject toundesirable tampering, such as by children. This problem has beenparticularly compounded by the fact that it has most usually been thedesire of either the clock or the automobile manfacturer to provide anautomatic regulating mechanism requiring a minimum of conscious efforton the part of the operator, which desire has usually been satisfied byso incorporating the regulating mechanism in the timepiece thatregulation is effected each time the hands of the clock are set. Ifregulation is automatically effected each time the hands of the clockare set by means of a readily accessible adjusting mechanism, tamperingof the clock is quite apt to result in over-regulation and ultimately inan inaccurate timepiece.

A still additional problem is created by the fact that it is oftendesirable to adjust the setting of the hands of the timepiece forreasons other than faulty timekeeping, i.e. when passing from one timezone to another or when the clock has stopped due to failure to wind orbecause of a power failure. It is thus essential that the regulatingmechanism be so constructed that regulation will not be significantlyeffected when adjustments of the latter nature are made.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to providean improved automatic regulating mechanismfor a timepiece which isreadily accessible and yet will minimize the effects of tampering.

It is another principal object of the present invention to provide anautomatic regulator for a timepiece which will limit the maximumregulation per adjustment to non-regulatory adjustments of thetimepiece. a

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedautomatic regulating mechanism for a timepiece in which the regulationof the timepiece takes place automatically and to the extent regulatedat a single point in time subsequent to the adjustment of the hands ofthetimepiece and which tends to prevent additional regulation of themechanism until such time as said first mentioned regulation has takenplace.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improvedautomatic regulating means for a timepiece which essentially comprises anovel cam means and associated stop elements which jointly cooperate toeffect delayed regulation of the timepiece and to provide a lock-outfeature to tend to prevent reregulation until such time as said delayedregulation has taken place,

without the need for conventional stops and limits heretofore used.

3,114,238 Patented Dec. 17,1963

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon reference to the following specification,appended claims and drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the automatic regulating mechanism ofthe present invention, with parts broken away for clarity ofillustration; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the mechanism shown inFIGURE 1, showing the regulating position of a novel cam member formingan important element of the instant invention.

As shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the novel regulation'mechanism ofthe instant invention comprises a vertically movable set stem 8 having aset stem knob 9 at its outer end and carrying a pinion 10 having a disc12 rigidly fixed to its upper surface. Set stem 8 is biased into theposition shown in FIGURE 1 by means of a coil spring 13 which isinterposed between set stem knob 9 and frame 14 of the timepiece. Anidler shaft 16, which is also movable in a vertical direction, carries agear 18 which meshes with pinion 10. As clearly shown in FIG- URE 1,disc 12 extends over and beyond the edge of gear 18 so that when setstem 8 is depressed downwardly, disc 12 will carry gear 18 with it. Aminute wheel 20 mounted on shaft 21 is positioned to mesh with thepinion 10 when set stem '8 is in its fully depressed position. Idlershaft 16. is biased vertically upwardly by a suitable provided springmounting (not shown) so that gear 18 will remain in engagement withpinion 10 regardless of the position of set stem 8.

Idler shaft =16 is resiliently urged toward a horizontally centeredposition by means of a U-shaped spring 22 en gaging a pair of pins 24 ona disc 26 which is fixed to idler shaft '16 at a point above gear 18.-It will be noted that spring 22 will be effective to return the idlershaft 16 to either of two horizontally centered positions separated by180 from one another, depending upon the amount of rotation of the shaftbefore it is released for such return.

Secured to the underside of gear '18 is a depending skirt 28 whichdefines a cam surface. As best shown in FIGURE 2, this surface isprovided with a profile which repeats itself on either side of line C-Clongitudinally dividing skirt 28 and which is provided with non-circularportions 31, 33, 35 and 37 (i.e., defining a locusof pointsnon-equidistant from the center 29 of skirt 28). As will be explainedmore fully below, at least a portion of the cam profile consists ofcircular portions such as are designated by the numerals 39 and 4 1. p v

A bent lever 30 is pivotally mounted intermediate its to one anotherthat as set stem *8 is depressed, pinion 10 will mesh with minute Wheel20 simultaneously with the positioning of an edge of skirt 28 in thespacebetlween stop members 38. As is apparent from the drawing and fromthe foregoing description, rotation of set stem 8 in its depressedposition will cause movement of lever 30 either in the direction A orthe direction B, depending upon the direction of rotation of the setstern and the configuration of skirt 28.

Lever arm 43 of lever 30 is provided with a longitudinal slot 40 inwhich a pin 42 on a rack plate 44 rides. Rack spring '50 extends betweenpin 48 and a second pin 52 plate 44 is provided 'with a slot 46 which,in turn, receives a pin 48 mounted on clock frame 45. An elongated whichtis also mounted on the clock frame 45. A second pin 54 on rack plate 44engages spring 50 so as to how the spring as shown in FIGURE 1, tonormally urge rack plate 44 in a clockwise direction about pin 48 towarda gear 56 which is operatively mounted to move a rate regulator 57 ofconventional construction.

A detent '58 is biased into engagement with the teeth 59 of rack plate44 by means of a coil spring 66. Detent 58 has depending therefrom a pin62 which is elongated in FIGURE 1 merely for ease of illustnation. Thehour wheel 64 on shaft 67 carries a pin 66 which is adapted to engagepin 62, in the course of rotation of the wheel, thereby tending to pushdetent '58 away from teeth 59 of rack plate 44.

In operation, set stem knob 9 is depressed to bring pinion '19 intoengagement with minute wheel 20 and,

simultaneously, to depress gear 18 so that an edge of skirt 28 passesbetween stop members 38. Since pinion 10 is in engagement with wheel 20,rotation of set stem knob 9 will result in adjustment of the hands ofthe timepiece. By proper selection of the cam profile of skirt 28, it isclear that the accompanying rotation of gear 18 will also cause leverarm 34 to be pivoted about pivot point 31 by an angular distanceproportional to the adjustment made in the position of the hands of thetimepiece. Due to the rotation of lever arm 34, spring 32 is placedunder tension and tends to urge lever 36 back to its normal position.

Depending upon the direction of rotation of set stem knob 9 and theconfiguration of skirt 2%, lever arm 43 of lever 30 will move either inthe direction A or in the direction B. As lever arm 43 rotates aboutpivot point 31, rack plate 4 4 will be caused to slide past pin '48either to the right or to the left in an amount proportional to theangular movement of lever arm 43 which isin turn a function of the shapeof the cam surface of skirt 28. As it does so, the holding effect ofdetent 58 will be overcome whereupon the detent will be displacedlongitudinally of the teeth '59 in one direction or the other, dependingupon the direction of movement of the rack plate. Gear 56 is separatedsufficiently from rack plate 44 so that teeth '59 of the rack plate areseparated from gear 56 while detent 58 is acting upon the rack plate butspring 50 is bowed sufliciently to urge rack plate 44 into engagementwith gear 56 when detent 58 is removed.

When the desired adjustment of the hands of the timepiece has been made,set stern knob 9 is released, and since both set stem 8 and idler shaft16 are upwardly spring biased, both idler shaft 16 and set stem knob 9will return to their normal, disengaged position. At the same time,pinion 10 will become disengaged from minute wheel 20 and skirt 28 willbe removed from between stop members 3 8. With the holding action ofstop members 38 removed, U-shaped spring 22 will return idler shaft 16to its centered or normal position. However, though the manual rotationof set stem knob 9 provided sufficient force to overcome the holdingeffect of detent 8 to permit movement of rack plate 44, detent 58provides sufficient holding power in its new position with respect toteeth 59 to prevent further movement of the rack plate or engagement ofgear 56 by teeth 59. For this reason, no regulation of the timepiecewill take place at this time, notwithstanding the fact that set stemknob '9 and its associated elements have been returned to their normalposition out of engagement with stop members 38.

As the hour wheel 64 rotates sufficiently so that its pin 66 engages thepin 62 depending from detent 58, detent 58 will slowly be pushed backaway from rack plate 44. When the hour wheel 64 has rotatedsufficiently, its pin 66 will push detent 58 a sufficient distance awayfrom rack plate 44 to permit the engagement of its teeth 59 with gear 56bymeans of the force of spring 50. As'soon as the detent has clearedteeth 59, the tension in spring 32 will cause it to return to its 4-normal position, rotating lever 30 about its pivot 31, which in turnwill move rack plate 44 and rotate regulating gear 56 through a distanceproportional to the original angular movement of lever 30.

Once the timepiece has been regulated, it may be reregulated byrepeating the sequence of steps described above. It is to be noted,however, that before the actual regulating step takes place, i.e.,before such time as the hour wheel 64 rotates sufficiently to disengagedetent 58 from rack plate 44, the reregulation of the timepiece isinhibited once the set stem knob 9 has been returned to its normal,disengaged position. This results from the fact that upon disengagementof skirt 28 from between stop members 38, the skirt is rotated back toits normal, centered position by means of spring 22, whereas stopmembers 38 remain in their adjusted position. If set stem knob 9 is thendepressed as above described, skirt 28 will hit the top of the stopmembers and since no further regulation may be obtained unless skirt 28passes between stop members 38, no further regulation may take place. Itis not until the delayed regulation takes place and the entire mechanismis reset to its normal position by sufficient rotation of hour wheel 64that additional regulation'may be effected, as described above.

As aforesaid, only a portion of the cam surface formed by skirt 28 isnon-circular in form, the remaining portions of the cam surface beingequidistant from the center 29 of skirt 28. Since rotation of lever 30will take place only by passage of the non-circular portions of the camsurface between stop members 38, no regulation will take placethroughout the range of circularity of the cam surface. In view of thisfact, it is possible to limit the maximum regulation which may beeffected at any one setting of the timepiece by limiting the portion ofthe cam surface which is non-circular so that after the desired maximumregulation has taken place, a circular portion of the skirt will passbetween stop members 38. Since, as aforesaid, timepieces are oftenadjusted for non-corrective purposes, the magnitude of regulation duringany such adjustment will never exceed the predetermined maximum and theundesired regulation can later be eliminated by readjusting andreregulating the mechanism in the manner above described.

It was also pointed out above that the cam surface repeats itself oneach side of the line C-C longitudinally dividing skirt 28 (see FIGURE2). Thus, in the event rotation of set stem knob 9 for any givenadjustment is sufliciently great to rotate idler shaft 16 more than (inwhich case the idler shaft will be centered to its second position, outof phase with its first position, when set stern knob 9 is returned toits normal position) skirt 28 will still present a cam surface for entrybetween stop members 38 upon the next adjustment of the timepiece.

The mechanism described above provides numerous advantages. .Not only isthe instant automatic regulating mechanism fully automatic without thenecessity for conscious effort on the part of the operator, but it alsotends to prevent further injection of regulation until the initiallyinjected regulation has been accomplished. That is to say, while it ispossible to rotate the set knob 9 until the skirt 28 is in a position toenter the space between stops 38 and thereby effect a second injectionof regulation before the first has been accomplished, this will notoccur in a majority of instances because release of the knob 9 wouldallow spring 22 to return the skirt to the illustrated position. For themost part, undesired re-regulation would be accomplished only by holdingthe knob 9 down and then rotating it until the skirt enters the spacebetween the stops. It is improbable that an adult would do this and evena child would accomplish it only by chance or prolonged tampering. Thus,while the device does not absolutely prevent injection of unwantedre-regulation, it tends to prevent it.

In addition, in the event the timepiece has been accidentallyoveradjusted, the novel regulating mechanism of the instant inventionpermits immediate readjustment regardless of the magnitude of theoveradjustment, so long as the set stem knob has not been returned toits normal position; and the delayed action mechanism permits suchadjustment and readjustment with only a single regulation operation. a

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, whilethe return spring for set stem 8 has been illustrated as a coil springlocated externally of the clock frame, the spring may also be positionedwithin the clock frame or may, if desired, take other forms such as theflat spring disclosed in assignees copending application, Serial No.840,373 filed September 16, 1959, now abandoned. Also, pin 54 may berotatable about its vertical axis on rack plate 44 to reduce friction. I

The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means; time indicatingmeans actuated by said time measuring means; time setting means forsetting said time indicating means to any position in its timeindicating range; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of saidtime measuring means; automatic regulating means including cam. meansand cam follower means, a drive member positioned in a normal positionby a spring such that the spring is stressed by movement ofsaid drivemember from said normal position, and means for holding said drivemember in position against the stress of said spring; said cam meansbeing driveable by said time setting means and being drivinglyengageable with said cam follower means when said cam means and camfollower means are in certain predetermined relative positionstand beingdrivingly unengageable with said cam follower means when said cam meansand cam follower means are in other relative positions, said cam meansbeing eifective when in driving engagement with said cam follower meansto move said drive member and stress said spring, the amount of movementof said drive member being a function of movement of said time settingmeans to move said time indicating means; said automatic regulatingmeans including triggering means operative subsequent to movement ofsaid time setting means to move said time indicating means for releasingsaid means for holding said drive member in position against the stressof said spring whereby said drive member moves; said last named movementof said drive member being effective to adjust said rate regulatingmeans to vary the rate of said time measuring means.

2. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means; time indicatingmeans actuated by said time measuring means; time setting means forsetting said time indicating means to any position in its timeindicating range; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of saidtime measuring means; automatic regulating means ineluding cam means andcam follower means, a drive member positioned in a normal position by aspring such that the spring is stressed by movement of said drive memberfrom said normal position, and means for hold ing said drive member inposition against the stress of said spring; said cam means beingdriveable by said time setting means and being drivingly engageable withsaid cam follower means whensaid cam means and cam follower means are incertain predetermined relative positions and being drivingllyunengageable with said cam follower means when said cam means and camfollower means are in other relative positions, said cam means beingeffective when in driving engagement with said cam follower means tomove said drive member and stress said spring, the amount of movement ofsaid drive member being a function of movement of said time settingmeans to move said time indicating means; said automatic regulatingmeans including triggering means driven by said time measuring meanssubsequent to movement of said time setting means to move said timeindicating means for releasing said means for holding said drive memberin position against the stress of said spring whereby said drive membermoves; said last named movement of said drive member being elfective toadjust said rate regulating means to vary the rate of said timemeasuring means. 1

3. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means; time indicatingmeans actuated by said time measuring means; time setting means forsetting said time indicating means to any position in its timeindicating range; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of saidtime measuring means; automatic regulating means including cam means andcam follower means, a drive member positioned in a normal position by aspring such that the spring is stressed by movement of said drive memberfrom said normal position, and means for holding said drive member inposition against the stress of said spring; said cam means beingdriveable by said time setting means and being drivingly engageable withsaid carn follower means when said cam means and cam follower means arein certain predetermined relative positions and being drivinglyunengageable with said cam follower means when said cam means and camfollower means are in other relative positions, said cam means beingeffective when in driving engagement with said cam follower means tomove said drive member and stress said spring, the amount of movement ofsaid drive member being a function of movement of said time settingmeans to move said time indicating means; said automatic regulatingmeans including triggering means driven by said time measuring meanssubsequent to movement of said time setting means to move said timeindicating means for releasing said means for holding said drive memberin position against the stress of said spring whereby said drive memberimmediately moves; said last named movement of said drive member beingeffective to adjust said rate regulating means to vary the rate of saidtime measuring means.

4. In a time piece as set out in claim 1, said cam means having certainportions thereof which cause movement of said cam follower means whensaid cam means and said cam follower means are in driving engagement andsaid cam means is moved, and having other portions which do not causesubstantial movement of said cam follower means when said cam means ismoved.

5. In a timepiece as set out in claim 4, said cam means having pluralcertain portions and plural other portions.

6. In a timepiece as set out in claim '5, said plural certain portionsbeing disposed substantially from one another and said plural otherportions being disposed substantially 180 from one another.

7. In a timepiece comprising: time measuring means; time indicatingmeans actuated by said time measuring means; time setting means forsetting said time indicating means to any position in its timeindicating range; rate regulating means for regulating the rate of saidtime measuring means; automatic regulating means including cam means andcam follower means; a drive member movable into driving engagement withsaid rate regulator means and being positioned in a normal position by aspring such that the spring is stressed by movement of said drive memberfrom said normal position, and means for holding said drive member inposition against the stress of said spring; said cam means beingdriveable by said time setting means and being drivingly engageable withsaid cam follower means when said cam means and cam follower means arein certain predetermined relative positions and being drivinglyunengageable with said cam follower means when said cam means and camfollower means are in other relative positions, said cam means beingeffective when in driving engagement with said cam follower means tomove said drive member and stress said spring, the amount of movement ofsaid drive member being a function of movement of said time settingmeans to move said time indicating means; said automatic regulatingmeans including means for moving said drive member into drivingengagement with said rate regulating means, and also includingtriggering means operative subsequent to movement of said time settingmeans to move said time indicating means for releasing said means forholding said drive member in position against the stress of said springwhereby said drive member moves into driving engagement with said rateregulating means and moves to drive said rate regulating means; saidlast named movement of said drive member being effective to adjust saidrate regulating means to vary the rate of said time measuring means.

8. A device for automatic regulation of the escapement hair spring of aclock in connection with the setting of the hands of said clockcomprising a rotatable adjusting shaft for setting the hands of saidclock to any position in its time indicating range, rate regulatingmeans for said hair spring, drive means held in a normal position byspring means, said spring means being stressed when said drive means ismoved from said normal position, locking means for holding said drivemeans in position against the stress of said spring means, said drivemeans being movable into and out of driving engagement with said rateregulating means, means coupling said drive means to said adjustingshaft to move said drive means when it is out of driving engagement withsaid rate regulating means, and means operative subsequent to said lastnamed movement of said drive means to move said drive means intoengagement with said rate regulating means and to release said lockingmeans whereby said drive means moves and drives said rate regulatingmeans.

9. A device as set out in claim 8 wherein said means coupling said drivemeans to said adjusting shaft causes said drive means to move as anon-linear function of movement of said drive shaft.

10. A device as set out in claim 8 wherein said means coupling saiddrive means to said adjusting shaft causes said drive means to move as adiscontinuous function of movement of said drive shaft.

11. A device as set out in claim 8 wherein said coupling means includescam means and cam follower means movable into and out of drivingengagement.

12. A device as set out in claim 11 wherein said cam means and said camfollower means are incapable of moving into driving engagement incertain relative positions of said cam means and said cam followermeans.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS542,430 Rabinow Feb. 20, 1951 554,029 Holdman May 22, 1951 2,858,029Rabinow Oct. 28, 1958 2,941,349 Lux June 21, 1960 2,949,728 Dicke et al.Aug. 23, 1960 2,976,673 Petters et al. Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS787,002 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1957

1. IN A TIMEPIECE COMPRISING: TIME MEASURING MEANS; TIME INDICATINGMEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS; TIME SETTING MEANS FORSETTING SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS TO ANY POSITION IN ITS TIMEINDICATING RANGE; RATE REGULATING MEANS FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF SAIDTIME MEASURING MEANS; AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS INCLUDING CAM MEANS ANDCAM FOLLOWER MEANS, A DRIVE MEMBER POSITIONED IN A NORMAL POSITION BY ASPRING SUCH THAT THE SPRING IS STRESSED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID DRIVE MEMBERFROM SAID NORMAL POSITION, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID DRIVE MEMBER INPOSITION AGAINST THE STRESS OF SAID SPRING; SAID CAM MEANS BEINGDRIVEABLE BY SAID TIME SETTING MEANS AND BEING DRIVINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITHSAID CAM FOLLOWER MEANS WHEN SAID CAM MEANS AND CAM FOLLOWER MEANS AREIN CERTAIN PREDETERMINED RELATIVE POSITIONS AND BEING DRIVINGLYUNENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER MEANS WHEN SAID CAM MEANS AND CAMFOLLOWER MEANS ARE IN OTHER RELATIVE POSITIONS, SAID CAM MEANS BEINGEFFECTIVE WHEN IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM FOLLOWER MEANS TOMOVE SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND STRESS SAID SPRING, THE AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT OFSAID DRIVE MEMBER BEING A FUNCTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TIME SETTINGMEANS TO MOVE SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS; SAID AUTOMATIC REGULATINGMEANS INCLUDING TRIGGERING MEANS OPERATIVE SUBSEQUENT TO MOVEMENT OFSAID TIME SETTING MEANS TO MOVE SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS FOR RELEASINGSAID MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID DRIVE MEMBER IN POSITION AGAINST THE STRESSOF SAID SPRING WHEREBY SAID DRIVE MEMBER MOVES; SAID LAST NAMED MOVEMENTOF SAID DRIVE MEMBER BEING EFFECTIVE TO ADJUST SAID RATE REGULATINGMEANS TO VARY THE RATE OF SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS.